British Airways flight plunges 28,000ft in mid-air emergency

A British Airways passenger jet dropped from 37,000ft to around 9,000ft after declaring a mid-air emergency on its way from London to Chicago, before turning back towards Heathrow.

Brit Brief 05/10/2026 15:25

British Airways flight plunges 28,000ft in mid-air emergency — BA flight plunges 28,000ft in mid-air emergency

A British Airways passenger plane dropped around 28,000 feet in a matter of minutes after declaring a mid-air emergency on its way from London to Chicago.

Sharp descent over the Atlantic

Flight BA295 had reached its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet before descending sharply to around 9,000 feet approximately an hour after leaving Heathrow. The aircraft then turned back towards the London airport.

The incident occurred on Monday, October 5, 2026, according to reports. The cause of the emergency has not been confirmed, and no further details about the passengers or crew have been released at this stage.